Most Popular
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Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
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Yoon's approval rating plunges to all-time low
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Will tug-of-war between doctors, government end soon?
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Climate impacts set to cut 2050 global GDP by nearly a fifth
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Trilateral talks acknowledge ‘serious’ slumps of won, yen
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[Graphic News] More Koreans say they plan long-distance trips this year
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[KH Explains] Hyundai's full hybrid edge to pay off amid slow transition to pure EVs
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North Korea removes streetlights along cross-border roads with South
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Russia's denial of entry of S. Korean national unrelated to bilateral ties: Seoul official
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Farming households dip below 1m for first time in 2023
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Ex-USFK commander slams China for N.K. ‘strategic error’
China has made a “terrible strategic error” by failing to rein in North Korea, a former U.S. Forces Korea commander said Monday, stressing the need for it to assume a responsible role for regional peace and stability.In a meeting with reporters in Seoul, Burwell B. Bell, who served as USFK commander from February 2006-June 2008, also said that the risk of military provocations by the North remains
June 14, 2011
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DP attacks Lee over tuition cut project
Opposition says president’s call for patience an attempt to derail fee reductionsParties in Tuesday’s parliamentary education committee general meeting quarreled over the president’s call for more time on the controversial university tuition fee cuts.Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party accused the presidential office of attempting to pressure the National Assembly to abandon their mo
June 14, 2011
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Concerns mounting over political populism
Protests over tuition cuts signal partisan race to woo voters with populist policiesOpposition leader Sohn Hak-kyu hoped that his party’s plan to cut college tuition fees would appeal to students when he attended their rally early last week.“I am not here to add fuel to your anger but to share your concerns,” Sohn told about 200 university students holding a candlelight vigil in downtown Seoul for
June 14, 2011
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President vows to end practice of offering favors to ex-officials
President Lee Myung-bak on Monday stressed he would root out the widespread practice among government officials and judges of giving favors to their retired colleagues.The “jeon-gwan-ye-woo” practice, which means giving “honorable treatment to former officials,” refers to the custom of private companies offering high-paying jobs to retired senior government officials in exchange for their connecti
June 13, 2011
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Sohn suggests meeting with Lee this month
The opposition leader and president may meet in an inter-party summit as early as this month to discuss pending economic issues concerning people’s livelihoods here. “Students and parents are out in the streets, asking for a tuition cut, and we may not blame them because they are indeed under great economic strain,” said the main opposition Democratic Party chairman Sohn Hak-kyu at the party’s Sup
June 13, 2011
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Lee meets religious leaders after detente with Buddhists
President Lee Myung-bak met with religious leaders Monday, a week after South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect announced that it was normalizing relations with the government after half a year of standoff over a budget dispute.It marked the first time that Lee has met with Ven. Jaseung, head of the Buddhist sect Jogye Order, in more than a year. Jogye’s relations with the government have been tense a
June 13, 2011
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Opposition leader offers to talk with president over economy
The opposition leader proposed a rare meeting with President Lee Myung-bak, saying Monday that he wants to discuss a string of challenges the country faces in efforts to improve people's livelihood.The offer from Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) comes as the government is grappling with growing calls for lowering college tuition costs and rising home rental prices, an
June 13, 2011
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GNP seeks mandatory schooling for 3,4-year-olds
The ruling Grand National Party is reportedly pushing to further expand the scope of compulsory education to include children aged three to four, officials said Sunday, amid controversy over its populist policy approach to college tuition fee cuts.“Expansion of childcare support is the next policy goal following the reduction of college education expenses. The party will push to gradually expand s
June 12, 2011
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[News Focus] Parties struggle to fix tuition policies
With next year’s general election looming, rival parties appear unsure over policies to ease the burden of university tuition.The ruling Grand National Party, which had preemptively raised the issue of halving tuition, has changed its policy on how much to cut tuition by, while the main opposition Democratic Party has turned drastically toward the expansion of scholarships to differentiate itself
June 12, 2011
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Multiculturalism about reciprocity, tolerance
Lawmaker leads parliamentary forum for a multicultural KoreaThe key to multiculturalism lies in reciprocal integration, according to the chairwoman of the National Assembly forum on multiculturalism.“When it comes to multiculturalism, people generally think of immigrant wives from Southeast Asia, but the term should be taken to a higher plane,” Rep. Kim Hye-seong told The Korea Herald.“Not only do
June 12, 2011
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Private universities could cut tuition fees with gov't support: council
South Korea's private universities could cut tuition fees by as much as 15 percent if the government funds their scholarship programs, the head of a private universities' council said Sunday, amid a growing political debate over tuition cuts. Park Chul, who heads a council of presidents of private universities, told Yonhap News Agency in an interview that the council is surveying its members
June 12, 2011
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State auditor to probe college tuition fees
The nation’s public and private universities will face a sweeping audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection from August, amid a growing public outcry over exorbitant tuition fees, officials at the state audit agency said Friday. “It will be the largest-ever scale,” said Sohn Chang-dong, a BAI spokesperson. About 200, or one third of the entire BAI staff, will be mobilized for the inspection, whic
June 10, 2011
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Rep. Hyun stripped of seat
A rookie lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party lost his parliamentary seat as the top court Friday upheld his conviction for accepting illegal political donations.Rep. Hyun Kyoung-byoung of the GNP became the 21st member of the 18th National Assembly to lose his seat for violation of the election or political fund laws.Hyun was indicted on charges of accepting a total of 130 million won ($12
June 10, 2011
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Lee replaces top Blue House aides
Reshuffle affects key posts of politics, publicity and welfarePresident Lee Myung-bak on Thursday replaced his top aides for political affairs and public relations as well as his spokesperson in a partial shakeup of presidential secretaries 10 months ahead of the general elections next year.The reshuffle of senior secretaries, which was previously scheduled for after the ruling Grand National Part
June 9, 2011
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Gong loses Assembly seat on conviction of illegal funding
Rep. Gong Sung-jin of the ruling Grand National Party lost his parliamentary seat Thursday as the Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s decision to convict him of receiving illicit political funds.The top court confirmed the appellate court’s ruling that sentenced the 58-year-old politician to eight months in jail ― suspended for two years ― and fined him 158.38 million won ($146,133). Gong Sung
June 9, 2011
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DP pushes 3-step plan tuition fee cut
As students vowed to stage a candlelight protest on Friday calling for tuition cuts, the main opposition Democratic Party on Thursday announced its three-stage plan toward that goal.“We will first restore the scholarship system for the low-income bracket, which the ruling party ruled out last year through budget reduction,” said Rep. Park Young-sun, the party’s policy chairperson.“The next steps w
June 9, 2011
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GNP turns against probe unit closure
Lawmakers increasingly oppose plan to shut Central Investigation DepartmentA parliamentary committee’s move to abolish the prosecution’s core investigation unit faced an obstacle as the majority of ruling party lawmakers opposed the plan, after Cheong Wa Dae urged the party to consider the matter prudently.The Grand National Party held a general meeting on Thursday to discuss whether to close down
June 9, 2011
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Lee names new top aides
President Lee Myung-bak on Thursday replaced some of his aides, including senior presidential secretaries for political affairs and public relations.Rep. Kim Hyo-jae of the Grand National Party was named to succeed Chung Jin-seok as senior presidential secretary for political affairs.The presidential office also appointed Kim Du-woo, executive presidential secretary for planning and management, to
June 9, 2011
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Justice Ministry ban mulled for prosecutors
Amid debate over recent demands to close down the prosecution’s core investigation unit, the parliamentary subcommittee on judicial reform is considering banning prosecutors from working in the Justice Ministry.The committee met on Wednesday to discuss the possible revision of the current prosecutor’s office law, officials said.The bill would forbid prosecutors from working in the ministry and est
June 8, 2011
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DP proposes tuition cut legislation
Ruling bloc prefers fees help tailored toward disadvantaged studentsDebate over college tuition cuts once again picked up momentum in the parliamentary interpellation on social, education and culture issues on Thursday.The opposition parties called for an immediate tuition cut, whereas the ruling party claimed that an unconditional cut could lower the education level.“Some 7 trillion won or half o
June 8, 2011